Nov. 8, 2007

AUBURN - Auburn University senior outside hitter Rachel Shanks was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV First Team, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced Thursday.

Shanks, a native of Madison, Ala., is a captain on Auburn's volleyball team this season while entering her first year of pharmacy school. A 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, she currently holds a 4.00 grade-point average.

"Rachel's work ethic in the classroom is also matched by her work ethic on the court," said head coach Laura Farina. "We are very proud of her accomplishments and what she has been able to do while at Auburn."

On the court, Shanks has started all 28 matches for the Tigers this season and leads the team with 3.68 kills per game. She also leads the team with 18 double-doubles this season with three 20-kill performances and two 20-dig matches.

Shanks solidified herself twice in the Auburn record book this season. Against Kennesaw State, she picked up her 1,000th career kill and turned around a month later at Arkansas for her 1,000th career dig. She is one of only four Auburn players ever to earn 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.

Currently, Shanks ranks fifth all-time at Auburn with 1,274 kills and third all-time with 1,147 digs. She is also ranked in career kills per game (T7th, 3.40) and digs per game (2nd, 3.06).

Shanks is one of only two SEC players earning spots on all-district first teams, joining Florida's Amber McCray, and is the only SEC player on the District IV first team. Other SEC schools in the district include Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

By virtue of her first-team selection, her name will now be placed on the ballot for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America team.

ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT IV
First Team
Abbey Breit - Jacksonville State University (Major: Chemistry, GPA: 3.89)
Rachel Shanks - Auburn University (Major: Pharmacy, GPA: 4.00)
Danielle Meyer - Ohio State University (Major: Textiles & Clothing, GPA: 3.98)
Tara Geegan - Wright State University (Major: Early Childhood Education, GPA: 4.00)
Anja Knabe-Paulsen - Kent State University (Major: Business Management and Finance, GPA: 3.94)
Leslie Clark - Middle Tennessee State University (Major: Elementary Education, GPA: 3.93)